An Enquiry into the Achievements and Challenges of East African Regional Integration

Abstract

The EAC Treaty, signed on November 30, 1999, is a second go at regional economic integration, a previous initiative having collapsed in 1977, only a decade after its inception. Admittedly, the European Union (EU) is an inappropriate analogy for the EAC. However, today ' s supranational EU once too, had to confront the very legal, political and institutional challenges which accost the EAC today. The EAC is not without it ' s ' success stories ' , including outliving the 1967-1977 EAC. But debilitating challenges may not be overlooked. The Court of Justice is yet to deliver ' integrationist judgments ' . Not only does the EAC Treaty suffer drafting gaps. The relationship between EAC Law, and national legal systems of Partner States, is mired in avoidable ambiguity. Despite an expressly stated pledge, the creation of a ' people-centred ' EAC, remains elusive. Finally, and pertinently, the ' donor dependency syndrome ' is so acute as to threaten ' sustainability and ownership ' .  *Associate Professor, University of Dar es Salaam, E-mail: kaykamanga@yahoo.com